Many homes provide open stairways, i.e. a stairway configuration where at least one side of the stairway does not terminate at a wall. It is well known that children will climb the outside of such open stairways, generally by standing on the area of the tread that protrudes beyond and/or between the balusters and climbing these surfaces, in some cases holding on to the balustrade.
The risk of injury or death arising from this activity is significant. While there are many devices available to prevent children from climbing stairways (e.g. security gates) none of these devices prevent children from climbing the outside of open stairways. The present invention addresses this need.